Could move the event to the Smoke Creek Desert, just southwest of Gerlach and is in Washoe county. As most know, Pershing County S.O. is not the only LEO there. Theres Washoe County S.O., NHP, BLM officers, my first year to attend was 2002 and I saw Lyon County S.O. which is the county I live in.

Shambala wrote: Maybe something with rolling hills, trees

Then all the fires at BM would start a humungus wild fire.

My cats are cuter than your grandkids!"We in Arizona (and the rest of the United States) have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act.""Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem."

Shambala wrote:At this point in time, the local economies depend on the money that the Burning Man Festival generates. It appears that Pershing County is attempting to drive over the golden goose with a police cruiser. It might be time to move this whole event to someplace fresh and new. Maybe something with rolling hills, trees and maybe a river flowing through. I'm ready!

Several problems here.

1. No big burns. Even if the area is not under wildfire conditions/burn bans, no "authority" figure will sign off on lighting multiple 100 foot tall structures on fire with big pyro displays in the middle of a forest or grassland area.

3. Critters. Snakes, bugs, furry things with teeth... The flood of raccoons alone going for trash would be horrific. Throw in some bears and it would get real exciting. Some e-tard would think the bear wants to be friends and try to give it a hug.

FIGJAM wrote:The only change is one LEO dept went from 22 to 44, that's it.

The 1:530 is for this year.

The LEO are not there to screw with the event.

If they see something, they have to do something about it.

Most want to be there as much as we do.

That's the real takeaway here. The vast majority of the LEO presence out there is as happy to be there as we are. They're just around to keep bad things from escalating out of hand, and to act as evolutionary pressure to keep the people too stupid to understand 'don't commit drug offenses in public' from breeding.

This is just a specific set of local-government cocksleeves trying to force a 'moral' imperative based on their own beliefs, contrary to the law, onto an organization they dislike. This is what lawyers are for.

The federal officers actually go on a wait list to serve at the event. I have had very nice chats, and have some fun BLM schwag. They truly do have a good time and don't want to bust people, this from the rangers I've spoken to.

Pershing County's day of reckoning is long overdue. I hope this lawsuit is successful and that the county pays a steep price for having an out of control Sheriff's Department with questionable county commissioners running amuk.

Kinetic V ~~~~~~When you finally let go, only then will you learn how to live.I bring order to chaos. And I bring chaos to those who deserve it.

The legal filing by the ORG is well worth the read for more detail. The ORG is slammed with event preparations. And not sure they will have time for a law enforcement update to this year's participants or the theme camp list.

Some of the Pershing County officials are especially focused on experiences by Burning Man participants under 18, and under 21. So it would make sense from their standpoint to focus strong enforcement on those laws, which are long standing (and IMO not controversial). That would include underage alcohol serving and consumption, would include guardians minding those under 18, and would include admission to any red light district - type events by underage individuals. If I were deputies under command of Pershing County, I would be decoying and stinging big time, as well as racking up as many citations and arrests as possible.

I can easily foresee an 18+ event. The Utah event is already 18+ because otherwise we couldn't get a permit and insurance... on private land no less.

Folks, if you are not from one of the big Western states whose land is mostly owned by the federal government, be aware there's a movement to "take back" such lands from federal to state control. It is one of the big underlying issues which makes this much more about state politics than some backwater dogooders disliking our event. Move to another state? Same damn issues.

AntiM wrote:I can easily foresee an 18+ event. The Utah event is already 18+ because otherwise we couldn't get a permit and insurance... on private land no less.

Folks, if you are not from one of the big Western states whose land is mostly owned by the federal government, be aware there's a movement to "take back" such lands from federal to state control. It is one of the big underlying issues which makes this much more about state politics than some backwater dogooders disliking our event. Move to another state? Same damn issues.

I really hope it wouldn't come to that. Then it would just be a big giant party in the desert and not a functioning temporary city at all. Kids are part of the great tapestry of what makes communities, even if there are proportionately fewer kids in BRC than in less harsh environments.

pink wrote:Fucking religious fucks.

Mormon.

Mormons do appear to have set themselves up as the great moral police of the Western half, considering all the bullshit shenanigans they pulled and their association with Proposition 8.

Thanks Mr Stinkyfoot. Every religious and spiritual group seeks to encourage families (and fertility!). Personally I believe people of all ages including under 18/21 should be exposed to BM values. Sure almost every religious group, even some considered conservative, would agree with 90% of the BM principals.

One quick point to note: the "$15 million" that goes to the local economy... other than the (now) $400k Pershing is taking off the top, most of that money is going to Washoe - Reno/Sparks, Fernley, Gerlach, Nixon... how many of us go through Lovelock & spend money? I know there's probably enough to notice if it stopped, but it's still probably the smallest amount that gets spent by Burners.

This could boil down to something as simple as Pershing wanting a bigger cut of the cash-cow since the actual event is held in their county, and it's a heavy-handed opening to the negotiations.

Eric wrote:This could boil down to something as simple as Pershing wanting a bigger cut of the cash-cow since the actual event is held in their county, and it's a heavy-handed opening to the negotiations.

i could totally understand if that was the motivation.

however

"'This was not Judge Wagner's first effort to drive the Burning Man Event out of Pershing County," the lawsuit states, noting that two different commissioners have said Wagner opposed the "expressive activities occurring at the event, and was pressuring them to void the 2005 and 2011 agreements and, through the imposition of huge fees and heavy regulation, effect the content of the Burning Man event and cause BRC to seek to relocate the Burning Man event out of Pershing County'"

what content is being targeted?how hard are they planning to hit?

some seeing eye makes a reasonable guess, but what if it doesn't stop there?